Prime Minister Narendra Modi as per schedule, inaugurated 5 new Vande Bharat trains during his visit to Madhya Pradesh. The launch of these semi-high-speed trains took place in Bhopal on Tuesday, June 27.
Yesterday, India prepared for the introduction of new semi-high-speed trains as Prime Minister Narendra Modi planned to inaugurate five Vande Bharat trains in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh during his one-day visit to the state on Tuesday, June 27.
Notably, the successful execution of this plan marked the first occasion when five Vande Bharat Express trains commenced operations simultaneously.
With this launch, the overall count of Vande Bharat Express trains in India has risen to 23. These new trains primarily target enhancing connectivity in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
The New trains
The Vande Bharat Express trains that will be launched include the Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore route, Dharwad-Bengaluru route, Rani Kamalapati-Jabalpur route, Hatia-Patna route and Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai route.
Bangalore
A route being added to the Vande Bharat network is the Bangalore-Hubballi-Dharwad route. This train aims to enhance connectivity between these cities, making travel easier and faster, and also promoting trade and tourism.
Compared to the current fastest train on the route, the new train is anticipated to be approximately thirty minutes faster. This new train will be the second Vande Bharat train for Karnataka, with the first one currently operating between Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mysuru.
Mumbai
Among the five new routes successfully launched, the Mumbai-Goa route is included. The introduction of the Vande Bharat train on this route was previously postponed due to a tragic rail accident in Odisha.
The train will be operational on six days of the week, excluding Fridays. It is projected to reduce travel time by approximately one hour compared to the existing trains on the route.
Indore
The launch of the Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat train will strengthen connectivity between two major cities in Madhya Pradesh. It is anticipated that this introduction will contribute to the economic growth of the region.
Tourist attractions such as Mahakaleshwar, Mandu, Maheshwar, Khajuraho, and Panna are set to benefit from the new train service. It is estimated that the train will be approximately two hours and thirty minutes faster than the existing fastest train operating on the same route.
Jabalpur
Adding to the new routes, the Bhopal-Jabalpur route is also being introduced, providing significant benefits to commuters and businessmen traveling between these crucial cities in Madhya Pradesh.
This will be the second semi-high-speed train in Madhya Pradesh. It will operate between the two cities at a speed of 130 kmph. This train will prove to be highly beneficial as it is anticipated to be approximately thirty minutes faster than the current fastest train on the same route.
Patna
The Patna-Ranchi route will witness the inaugural semi-high-speed train service between the two cities. The introduction of the Vande Bharat train on this route will lead to a significant reduction in travel time, greatly benefiting a large number of commuters.
According to a senior officer from the South Eastern Railway in Ranchi, while the exact route is yet to be finalized, the train is expected to pass through Tatisilwai, Mersa, Shanki, Barkakana, Hazaribag, Koderma, and Gaya based on discussions.
The new train is projected to reduce the travel time by approximately one hour and twenty-five minutes compared to the current fastest train operating on the same route.